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- All Subjects: Sustainability
- All Subjects: Lithium
- Status: Published
Description
This thesis investigates the potential of life cycle analysis for more sustainable sourcing strategies in organizations. Using the example of the College of Lake County (CLC) in Illinois, I study how life-cycle analysis can help to improve the procurement of products and services in higher education. Currently, CLC's purchasing team does not understand how sourcing affects operational and environmental performance. In addition, CLC's purchasing team does not communicate effectively with other departments from a product utilization standpoint. The objective of this research is to analyze CLC's current product procurement process and to assess the feasibility of implementing life cycle analysis tools. Further, I evaluate different life cycle analysis tools and provide recommendations to CLC about the applicability of these tools so that they may be implemented into the university in the future. First, I find that both the procurement and IT department at CLC are not familiar with life-cycle analysis tools and hence, do not know about the life cycle of their processes and services. Second, I identify professional life cycle analysis tools relevant for CLC. Two software options, GaBi and SimaPro, are discussed. Finally, I suggest six steps for a successful implementation of life cycle analysis at CLC: (1) form an interdisciplinary team, (2) analyze demand and collect additional data, (3) conduct a product life cycle analysis using a software tool, (4) define which products to analyze further, (5) conduct life cycle costing analysis with the same software tool, and (6) utilize these results for decisions and delegation of responsibility.
ContributorsGotsch, Rachel Lynne (Author) / Wiedmer, Robert (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Over the past two decades, the fashion industry has evolved to both create and respond to the consumer's demand for fast fashion, the industry of inexpensive clothing produced at high rates to respond to changing consumer trends. As fast fashion grew in popularity, the new standard of the industry was to create and manufacture every other week, producing continual new trends for a market designed for continual consumption. As the garments being produced were made for short life-spans, textile waste began to grow and the fashion industry was named the second largest pollutant in the world next to oil. Coming out of a market saturated with clothing, a new trend focused around sustainability and reuse has emerged: the resale market. With increased awareness for sustainability, circular fashion business models have emerged from a more linear and disposable supply chain. By focusing on environmental, social, and financial aspects of a supply chain, otherwise known as the triple bottom line, we discuss how second-hand shopping should be managed to satisfy customer shopping expectations.
The creative project of this thesis showcases various wardrobes that have solely been purchased second-hand. The purpose of the creative presentation is to show that no matter one’s style preference, occupation, or age, second hand shopping can appeal to every type of customer. Second hand shopping is not only for “thrifty” millennials, it it for everyone, and can encompass anyone’s clothing needs.
The creative project of this thesis showcases various wardrobes that have solely been purchased second-hand. The purpose of the creative presentation is to show that no matter one’s style preference, occupation, or age, second hand shopping can appeal to every type of customer. Second hand shopping is not only for “thrifty” millennials, it it for everyone, and can encompass anyone’s clothing needs.
ContributorsToomb, Sophia Mikaela (Author) / Sewell, Dennita (Thesis director) / Wiedmer, Robert (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The following report addresses sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and its application in the fashion industry. The purpose is to draw conclusions on why companies implement sustainability into their processes, and how these sustainable monitoring practices contribute to operational, competitive and financial advantages. This report contains various methods of analysis. Research derived from numerous scholarly articles on measurement methods, theories and governance structures will be discussed to develop a background on the current status of SSCM in the fashion industry, including the notable strengths and weaknesses. To understand the depth of practices involved in managing a sustainable supply chain, four leading companies within the industry will be analyzed using their annual sustainability reports. Based on this analysis, it can be concluded that sustainable practices are abundantly present in today's leading fashion companies, each having different mindsets motivating their sustainable actions. With this conclusion, it's also important to acknowledge that there's far more progress to be made in terms of sustainable development on a company and industry level, in order to make a lasting impact.
ContributorsRezzonico, Jordan Nicole (Author) / Dooley, Kevin (Thesis director) / Wiedmer, Robert (Committee member) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Lithium ion batteries are quintessential components of modern life. They are used to power smart devices — phones, tablets, laptops, and are rapidly becoming major elements in the automotive industry. Demand projections for lithium are skyrocketing with production struggling to keep up pace. This drive is due mostly to the rapid adoption of electric vehicles; sales of electric vehicles in 2020 are more than double what they were only a year prior. With such staggering growth it is important to understand how lithium is sourced and what that means for the environment. Will production even be capable of meeting the demand as more industries make use of this valuable element? How will the environmental impact of lithium affect growth? This thesis attempts to answer these questions as the world looks to a decade of rapid growth for lithium ion batteries.
ContributorsMelton, John (Author) / Brian, Jennifer (Thesis director) / Karwat, Darshawn (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Current Li-ion battery technologies are limited by the low capacities of theelectrode materials and require developments to meet stringent performance demands for
future energy storage devices. Electrode materials that alloy with Li, such as Si, are one
of the most promising alternatives for Li-ion battery anodes due to their high capacities.
Tetrel (Si, Ge, Sn) clathrates are a class of host-guest crystalline structures in which
Tetrel elements form a cage framework and encapsulate metal guest atoms. These
structures can form with defects such as framework/guest atom substitutions and
vacancies which result in a wide design space for tuning materials properties. The goal of
this work is to establish structure property relationships within the context of Li-ion
battery anode applications. The type I Ba 8 Al y Ge 46-y clathrates are investigated for their
electrochemical reactions with Li and show high capacities indicative of alloying
reactions. DFT calculations show that Li insertion into the framework vacancies is
favorable, but the migration barriers are too high for room temperature diffusion. Then,
guest free type I clathrates are investigated for their Li and Na migration barriers. The
results show that Li migration in the clathrate frameworks have low energy barriers (0.1-
0.4 eV) which suggest the possibility for room temperature diffusion. Then, the guest
free, type II Si clathrate (Na 1 Si 136 ) is synthesized and reversible Li insertion into the type
II Si clathrate structure is demonstrated. Based on the reasonable capacity (230 mAh/g),
low reaction voltage (0.30 V) and low volume expansion (0.21 %), the Si clathrate could
be a promising insertion anode for Li-ion batteries. Next, synchrotron X-ray
measurements and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis are used to investigate the
lithiation pathways of Ba 8 Ge 43 , Ba 8 Al 16 Ge 30 , Ba 8 Ga 15 Sn 31 and Na 0.3 Si 136 . The results
show that the Ba-clathrates undergo amorphous phase transformations which is distinct
from their elemental analogues (Ge, Sn) which feature crystalline lithiation pathways.
Based on the high capacities and solid-solution reaction mechanism, guest-filled
clathrates could be promising precursors to form alloying anodes with novel
electrochemical properties. Finally, several high temperature (300-550 °C)
electrochemical synthesis methods for Na-Si and Na-Ge clathrates are demonstrated in a
cell using a Na β’’-alumina solid electrolyte.
ContributorsDopilka, Andrew (Author) / Chan, Candace K (Thesis advisor) / Zhuang, Houlong (Committee member) / Peng, Xihong (Committee member) / Sieradzki, Karl (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
This research seeks to identify key influencers on a relatively new type of policy instrument, the Sustainable Purchasing Policy, in the local government context. Specifically, we analyze how vendor relationships and organizational capacity affect perceived Sustainable Purchasing Policy success. Using statistical analysis on a nationally distributed survey to city directors as well as interviews with city purchasing agents, we are able to identify what factors are likely to lead to successful policy implementation. Our findings show that cities benefit from their vendors providing reliable information regarding sustainable offerings, that vendors offering sustainable goods need superior technical capabilities to compete in a cost-driven environment, and that purchasing agents require support from a city’s top management if they want to successfully implement sustainable purchasing. Future avenues for research are discussed.
ContributorsAmbrose, Harrison Noah (Author) / Darnall, Nicole (Thesis director) / Wiedmer, Robert (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The project goal is aimed to research the most pressing issues facing the lithium supply chain today. It then is tasked with charting a path into the future through strategic recommendations that will help reduce risk, and make a greener, cleaner, and more ethical supply chain.
ContributorsLeeson, Van (Author) / Kelman, Jonathan (Thesis director) / Wiedmer, Robert (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor)
Created2022-05